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From to 441-9004 at 7/24/2003 9:13 Ai~ <br /> <br />Wendy Simenson <br />Kemper Drug <br />Beautiful Downtown Elk River <br /> <br />I am very disappointed in the direction that MetroPlains and The City of Elk River have <br />chosen to pursue in their efforts to revitalize Downtown Elk River. <br /> <br />After reviewing the City of Elk River Downtown Revitalization Project Project Goal & <br />Objectives on the Cities' web page, I feel that many of the objectives have been cast <br />aside and the results will be changes in the downtown which don't reflect the goals but <br />rather what was easiest for the developers and least costly for the city. <br /> <br />One objective is to increase exposure to the riverfront. Does building a four story <br />building in a location not on the river, that will in fact block one of the good views of <br />the river accomplish that goal? <br /> <br />Another objective is to replace market/economic obsolete buildings. MetroPlains has set <br />their sights on developing the Jackson Square Parking Lot and severely cutting back on <br />convenient parking for those businesses currently on the river side of the street. Is the <br />ultimate goal here for the city to be able to acquire the riverfront properties cheaply <br />when the existing businesses are forced to close because of reduced convenient parking? <br /> <br />A third objective is to increase housing downtown. This isn't a bad idea. I am just <br />trying to visualize my grand~nother pulling her shopping cart trying to get across <br />highway 10 with her groceries. Or a mom pushing a stroller trying to walk her kids <br />across the highway and the train tracks to go play. <br /> <br />When I supported MetroPlains bid to be the developer of downtown. I did so based on <br />their concept of developing the bluff block on the river and the northeast corner of King <br />and Main (see October 2002 City of Elk River Downtown Revitalization Q&A <br />Newsletter referencing this). Whereas there is definitely room for improvement in <br />downtown Elk River, in medicine there is a saying "First do no harm." MetroPlains <br />and the City of Elk River Staff working on these plans need to refocus their efforts to <br />DO NO HARM! <br /> <br />Please let the City of Elk River know what you think about their plans for downtown! <br /> <br /> <br />